33 Chapter 3: An Infinite Variety of Wishes

Breakfast time. I avoided the buffet that was popular with a lot of the students, and made my way toward the ship's deck. There was a café called Blue Ocean, which had hardly any students early in the morning. I took a table in the shaded back, where there weren't many people around. It was 7:55 in the morning.

Just one minute before the designated meeting time, the person I was waiting for appeared. She wore an emotionless expression, like always.

"You're rather early."

Horikita sat down next to me. She was the one of the very few people at this school whom I could call a friend. She was unusually talented, and a thorn in my side, because she knew something about my hidden life.

"I was waiting for an hour." I tried teasing her a little.

"That's not my problem, as I've still arrived before the designated time. Besides, how would I know if you'd been waiting even ten hours or more?"

It really wasn't easy to tease her. Pointless, actually.

Horikita wasn't good at chit-chat. After I gave her my information yesterday, she hadn't been able to reciprocate. All she did was propose we meet here. Was this some sort of trick? "So, did you get any more details?"

"Just what you already told me. There are twelve groups, and four outcomes. Also, the school said they would send the names of the VIPs via email at 8:00 a.m. today. Any minor differences in the explanations they gave us could be attributed to differences in the way teachers communicate."

"Who's in your group? How many people do you have?" I'd seen some of the lineup yesterday, but she knew that already.

"The list is honestly surprising. It's biased to the point where I can't imagine it's a coincidence."

Horikita handed over a slip of paper, looking a little depressed. She'd written this down on her own notepad, and had memorized all the names. I took the list and looked it over. Her group name was Dragon. I understood what Horikita meant about bias when I looked at the names.

CLASS A: Katsuragi Kouhei, Nishikawa Ryouko, Matoba Shinji, Yano Koharu

CLASS B: Andou Saya, Kanzaki Ryuuji, Tsube Hitomi

CLASS C: Oda Takumi, Suzuki Hidetoshi, Sonoda Masashi, Ryuuen Kakeru

CLASS D: Kushida Kikyou, Hirata Yousuke, Horikita Suzune

First, the Class D students, Hirata and Kushida: They were both excellent students, and representatives of our class. Excluding the fact that Horikita was far too much of a loner, she definitely had outstanding talents that let her stand shoulder to shoulder with the other two. To be perfectly honest, it was the strongest hand Class D could have dealt.

I'd thought they'd have at least one more person, but that wasn't the case. In terms of latent ability, Kouenji had an abundance, but he probably wouldn't contribute any of it to the team. I didn't know what group he was in.

"I see. This really seems like an inevitable grouping," I muttered. Even if I just limited it to the names I knew, they had Katsuragi from

Class A, Kanzaki from Class B, and Ryuuen from Class C. All class representatives. If you thought of their group like players in the qualifying rounds of a soccer league, they were the dream team, and this was a death match.

"But something feels unnatural," I added. I didn't really know many students, but it was somewhat unnatural for Ichinose to be in Rabbit and not Dragon.

"You mean Ichinose-san being in your group, don't you? I suppose only the Class B students know if she's really excellent or not. A leader's qualities and level of excellence aren't necessarily directly proportional," said Horikita.

"Wait, are you talking about yourself?" I asked.

She glared, so I averted my eyes. However, Horikita did have a point. We didn't know the finer details of Ichinose's abilities. Perhaps her academic scores were unexpectedly low.

"From what we can deduce, I wonder if there's a certain method they're using to sort us into the twelve groups? Ayanokouji-kun, your grades are very similar to Karuizawa-san's. Are they grouping us based on our scores? Oh, but Yukimura-kun has high academic ability, and so does Kouenji-kun. They're at the top of the class," said Horikita.

She was taking our midterm grades and final exams into consideration. "But there's probably a gap between me and the Professor, same as you

and Hirata. There are too many details that don't fit the score theory."

If students were divided into groups based purely on grades, then Kouenji should have been at the top. Of course, I agreed that our grades were taken into account, but another variable was likely involved in the process. If at all possible, I would've liked to see the member lists of the other groups.

"At any rate, this is probably going to be difficult. Trying to lead the group and to outmaneuver everyone, I mean."

Well, when you had several high-ability people gathered together, the inclusion of the rather orthodox Horikita wasn't necessarily advantageous. She and Ryuuen were especially incompatible, like fire and water. I didn't like it; they were bound to clash.

But if I told Horikita that, she would probably be pissed. I decided to stay quiet. However, Horikita would probably work well with a straightforward person like Katsuragi. They both believed that intellect led to victory, so they'd get along.

"Well, it's just about time," said Horikita.

Once the clock struck 8:00, both of our phones beeped simultaneously.

We immediately checked our phones. After we'd finished reading the contents of the message at almost the exact same time, Horikita turned her phone to show me the message. I did the same. We compared what was on each other's phones, confirming the finer details.

"After thorough consideration, you have not been chosen to be the VIP.

Please remember to be a team player as your group tackles the challenges of this test. The exam begins today, and will be held over a period of three days. Members of the Dragon group should gather in the Dragon room located on the second deck."

My message was almost the same as Horikita's. Of course, the name of the group differed, but everything else matched up perfectly.

"I suppose neither of us was chosen, then."

While putting our phones away, we shifted in our seats.

"No, we weren't chosen. I'm not sure if we should be happy or sad." "Yeah. If you're chosen, then you could lead your group to any of the

outcomes," I reasoned.

Being the VIP in this test placed you at an overwhelming advantage. If you kept up a good poker face, you could easily obtain 500,000 points.

"Even so, I don't like how they wrote it. It's like they're saying I'm not qualified to be the VIP."

Even though she was on the dream team, Horikita still thought of herself as working alone. That was just like her.

"In this test, there's a huge difference between the chosen students and the rest. Everyone who wasn't chosen will need to struggle to find the VIP. The school said there were no disadvantages, but that was a lie. Unless the VIP is in your class, there's a high probability that the point difference between classes will widen even further."

That was certainly true. Depending on how things went, the gap we'd managed to close after the first test might widen again.

"The leaders of each group should be coming up with a number of strategies already. If we don't decide early on how we're going to conduct ourselves, we probably won't recover."

"I understand," Horikita responded.

She gave me a slightly frustrated look. I was trying to figure out how to fight this battle. As I considered the members of my group, and the underlying mechanics of this test, the goal began to take shape.

"Are you thinking about the results?" asked Horikita, observing my

expression. She sounded hesitant.

"There are some things I can't yet see, like how some of the students I don't know will react. I won't know until I meet with them directly. But I thought of a way to lead us to victory."

Of course, we couldn't behave recklessly. I'd need to time my move properly, and everything would need to be set up beforehand.

"I look forward to your results," said Horikita.

"Me too. Can't wait to see what you do with your group," I answered.

But something about that message still nagged at me. "After thorough consideration," it had said. That odd choice of words wasn't by chance.

Mashima-sensei had said something to the same effect. The VIP had been chosen based on certain considerations. There was something about the chosen that set them apart.

I couldn't get too hung up on phrasing right now. I knew that one person had been selected from each group. That meant there were twelve VIPs.

"For the sake of reference, who are you most wary of? Based on how things have been going, I wanted your thoughts," said Horikita.

Horikita's attention had shifted slightly. Since she was assigned to the most intense group, that wasn't surprising.

"Ryuuen," I answered. "That was fast."

"There's no one else I'd choose," I replied.

"What about Katsuragi-kun? It's because of him that Class A managed to quickly hold down that prime spot on the island. Isn't he someone worth watching?"

"Of course. Considering he's only a first-year student, he's excellent. If you'd asked me who the most excellent student was, then Katsuragi would've been my answer. But if you're asking who I'm wary of, then it's Ryuuen, by a mile," I answered.

Class D had been victorious during the test on the island, without a doubt. Ryuuen had come up short in several ways. He'd telegraphed his

intentions, so it ended up easy to get a read on him. However, it was highly likely that Ryuuen had read my intentions, too. I wanted to avoid him finding out that I was the one responsible for Horikita's success on the island.

"I'm curious about some things concerning the VIP's identity. Even after reading the message and thinking about it, did you notice any unnatural- sounding phrases in the school's email? And the strict—" Horikita said.

I silenced her by pressing my finger to her lips. Speak of the devil—a shadow appeared before us.

"Nice weather, eh Suzune? You having breakfast with this clingy beta male?"

Two people approached us, each wearing an unsettling grin. One of them was Ryuuen, the very subject of our discussion. The other person was…

"I've warned you not to call me by my first name, Ryuuen-kun. Also, considering you were a turncoat who only pretended to be our friend, it's odd you'd show your face, Ibuki-san."

Beside Ryuuen stood a female student, Ibuki Mio. She had a somewhat cocksure gleam in her eyes. She also happened to be in the Rabbit group with me.

"…"

Ibuki seemed slightly disapproving of Horikita's light provocation, but didn't snap back. Instead, she bit down lightly on her lower lip. Ryuuen, watching things unfold out of the corner of his eye, flashed a satisfied smile. During the test on the island, Ibuki had infiltrated Class D as a spy.

Eventually, Horikita had caught Ibuki red-handed, but ended up catching Ibuki's fist during their ensuing confrontation. Horikita firmly insisted that if she hadn't been ill at the time, she wouldn't have lost the fight, but right now, I wasn't really concerned about who was stronger.

Ryuuen silenced Ibuki. He appeared to be mocking us. "You should have received the message already. What were the results? Were you chosen as the VIP?"

"As if I would tell you. Perhaps you'd like to tell us about your

message?" Horikita responded.

"If you wish." Ryuuen straddled one of the two vacant seats. "But

before that, I want to ask you something. How did you wrangle those results on the island test?"

"I have nothing to tell you," Horikita responded.

Horikita looked completely calm; she didn't shake or waver in the slightest. There was nothing false about her attitude, either. She had incredible acting ability. She probably didn't think she was acting, though. Even though she didn't show any weakness, Ryuuen wasn't convinced.

"I suppose you wouldn't give anything away, but that doesn't matter. According to my information, there's no way that your farcical bumbling on the island should've led to victory," said Ryuuen.

"I'm not so stupid that I'd let someone like her see through me. Things were simply more difficult because of my fever."

In responsive to that more blatant provocation, Ibuki could no longer hide her irritation. "In that case, let's have a rematch," she challenged.

Horikita kept her cool as Ibuki became more and more riled up. "Regrettably, I must decline your offer. Violent actions are considered a violation of the test rules. If you do happen to strike me, I will not hesitate to report it to the school. At any rate, please feel free to do whatever you please," she said flatly.

"Tch!"

Ibuki closed the distance between herself and Horikita, looking ready to lunge, but she stopped herself. If you thoughtlessly went on a rampage here, you wouldn't escape punishment. More than anything else, though, Ibuki was working beneath Ryuuen. She didn't have the right to act freely. While Ibuki clearly detested Ryuuen, she was also exceptionally talented.

That was likely the precise reason why Ryuuen had chosen her as the spy to infiltrate Class D.

"Since we're all together, how about we have some coffee? It seems a good time to enjoy a nice cup," Horikita offered.

She seemed in a strangely good mood as she ordered her morning coffee. I ordered the same thing. Ryuuen showed no signs of leaving, apparently wanting to continue the conversation. He continued to observe the silent Horikita, and opened his mouth once again when the coffee arrived.

"Yesterday, it seemed Katsuragi was rather cautious of you," he said.

"Well, that's understandable. He couldn't have guessed that someone from Class D would do so well. Isn't that why you and Ibuki-san are here? You came to check on me. Am I wrong?" asked Horikita.

"Heh. Well, I won't deny that. I came here to measure your abilities for myself," he answered.

"Of course," Horikita answered, sipping her coffee. She seemed at ease, which was unusual.

"I didn't really hear anything. I just got here now."

No one else was around. She was like a frightened little animal.

Had Sakura been talking to a ghost, or had she lost her mind? I wasn't sure which.

"Were you listening?! Did you hear what I was saying?!" Sakura shouted.

"I only heard bits and pieces. I have no idea what you were talking about," I said.

Sakura appeared relieved.

"So, why did you call me out here?" I asked.

"Um, well. You see, it's…ah… I was s-stressing out over the test!" she shouted.

Sakura, looking incredibly depressed, handed me a list. I read over the names written on it.

Kenta

CLASS A: Sawada Yasumi, Shimizu Naoki, Nishi Haruka, Yoshida

CLASS B: Kobashi Yume, Ninomiya Yui, Watanabe Norihito CLASS C: Tokitou Hiroya, Nomura Yuuji, Yashima Mariko CLASS D: Ike Kanji, Sakura Airi, Sudou Ken, Matsushita Chiaki

It looked like the other Class D students assigned to the Cow group were…intense. Considering the boys in her group, like Sudou and Ike, I couldn't help but feel sympathy for Sakura. During this test, you had to spend time with the other members of your group no matter what. I'd have liked to help her out a little bit, but there was nothing I could really do. Once it was time for the groups to come together, we had to be part of our teams. We couldn't afford to be scattered. I could help her secretly, but if I acted unnaturally during the test, someone would immediately notice. In a test like this, breaking the rules could mean death.

"I thought I might know someone from another class but…amazingly enough, I don't know anyone. No one who would remotely consider me a

friend," said Sakura.

I tried thinking about it, but the only people who could help were Ichinose and Kanzaki. But since Ichinose was already in my group, she was stuck. I couldn't really leave it to Sudou or Ike to take care of Sakura, either.

"Sorry. I don't really have any friends, either," I said.

"Ah, it's okay. You don't need to apologize. It's just that…I don't have

any friends!" Sakura responded.

This was a pathetic conversation, the two of us competing to see who was worse off. Rather than take pride in our lack of friends, I changed topics. "By the way, there was something I wanted to ask you, Sakura."

"Huh? Me? What is it?"

"Has Yamauchi gotten in touch with you at all since the discussion ended?"

"Yamauchi-kun? No, he hasn't. Is something the matter?" she asked. "Ah, I see."

During the test on the island, I'd indirectly used Sakura while I was also using Horikita. I'd manipulated Yamauchi by taking advantage of his crush on Sakura, promising him Sakura's email address. Of course, I hadn't intended to give Yamauchi her email address without her permission, but I hadn't talked to him about it yet. I was worried that he might've reached out to Sakura in the aftermath, but apparently it was all right. Since I'd planted the seeds myself, if Yamauchi made a move, I would have to act.

"For the time being, contact me if something's bothering you. You can tell me anything," I said.

"Is that okay?" asked Sakura. "Yeah. That's the least I can do."

Even though I didn't know how much help I'd be, Sakura's eyes

sparkled like a child's. Maybe she was just glad to be able to talk to someone. "I'll definitely contact you!" she said.

"S-sure," I responded.

Sakura was a little different from her usual self. She was overjoyed,

and had a bit more vigor behind her words than usual. Maybe she was becoming a little more assertive or something? Even though only a few days had passed since the test on the island, Sakura was developing quickly. It had been an insane test, but maybe it changed her life in unexpected ways. She hadn't transformed completely, but I sensed she had learned to stay positive and keep going in a tough situation.

3.3

"Aaaaaaayaaaaaanooooookooooouuuuujiiiiii!"

As soon as I went back inside the ship, a shadow loomed over me. I felt hands grabbing me, and the mystery assailant tightened his grip on my neck. I frantically tapped his arms, but he showed no sign of loosening his grip. I thought that was it for me for a moment. After I shook myself free, I quickly turned around and saw the face of my attacker. It was Yamauchi Haruki, looking like some sort of oni or an asura.

"Wh-what's the matter?" I knew the reason, but asked as a formality. "'What's the matter' my ass! You said you'd tell me Sakura's email

address, for chrissakes! And you were talking with Sakura just now! I knew

it. You were after her all along!" he shouted.

Apparently, my luck was terrible. I needed to think of something. "I never meant to go after her. Well, this is kind of hard to say, but…I lied to you before," I croaked.

"Wait. You lied?"

"Do you really think that a loner like me would know Sakura's email address?" I turned toward him, trying to show my sincerity.

"So… Wait, so just now you were trying to ask Sakura for her email address?"

When I nodded, Yamauchi looked shocked and fell to his knees. "So… You didn't know her email address at all, Ayanokouji. You lied

to me?" he sputtered.

"Yeah. Sorry."

"So how'd it go? Did you get Sakura's email address?" "Er, sorry."

"Sorry? What does that mean? I'm not looking for an apology, I'm looking for her email!" Yamauchi muttered to himself, reflecting the depth of his disappointment. "How are you… How dare you trick me!" he shouted.

I did feel bad for tricking him, certainly, but I couldn't give him Sakura's contact information without her consent. Since he had obvious ulterior motives, I really had to refuse. "Can you give me just a little more time?" I asked.

"More time?! 'Show me a liar and I will show you a thief'!" he shouted.

I never would've expected a Class D student to throw out a proverb like that. I was shocked. "Then are you going to make Sakura tell you?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's right."

He was probably blinded by anger. It seemed like he intended to get Sakura's contact information by force, if necessary.

"You know, Sakura said she hates guys that are all talk." "You mean guys like you, Ayanokouji?!" he shouted.

"Of course she hates me. But it should be obvious why I couldn't give you her contact information. I don't want you to make the same mistake I did, Yamauchi. If you forcibly asked her, it wouldn't go anywhere. It'd be pointless."

"You're just making excuses. You never knew her info in the first place." Yamauchi lowered his head.

"Yeah. And I'm sorry. But I know for sure that she doesn't hate you," I answered.

"But what the hell should I do?" he asked.

"Did you know that Sakura loves digital cameras? I've heard that her camera doesn't work, and she doesn't have enough points to buy a new one. But what if you got one for her, Yamauchi? If you gave it to her as a present?" I asked.

"Oh, she'd be happy, for sure, but…I don't have any points, either." "Well, there a few options in this special test. If you were the VIP and

managed to make it through without being found out, or if you became a traitor and sold out your group, or if you managed to guide your group to clear the test, you'd get enough points to buy tons of digital cameras. Right?"

"So if I do my best, there's a chance I can get a new camera for Sakura?" he asked.

Yamauchi was about to burst. He could see the solution to his problems.

"Now, Yamauchi Haruki, you need to achieve real results. Work hard, and show Sakura how manly you are. Only then would you be a guy who deserves to go out with a former idol."

Whatever his ultimate goal, Yamauchi clearly had a crush on Sakura. If I gave him the right stimulus, he could unearth greater potential.

"I'll do it, I'll do it, I'll do it, I'll do it! I'll give it everything I've got and win Sakura!" he shouted.

"That's right, Yamauchi. You can definitely do it." "Yeah! I'm definitely going to win!" he shouted.

I'd managed to redirect his energy into participating in the test. If he didn't get anything out of this, his bitterness and rage might return toward me, but this was a temporary fix. Well, if we managed to secure a surprise victory, everything would be fine…though if Yamauchi was too fired up, he might let the target slip past him. I worried that he could miss the VIP completely.

"Let me tell you something, just in case…" I started. I wanted to urge Yamauchi to be careful, but then refrained from doing so.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just do your best. But if you find the VIP, don't let the other classes beat you to the punch, okay?"

"Of course."

If Yamauchi missed the target by mistake, that would probably be fine.

The bigger picture was more important than the short term, anyway.

3.4

Because only Class A had been promised advancement into higher education or employment upon graduation, we'd never gain their cooperation. Classes B and D had joined hands to defeat Classes C and A, so Classes C and A had likely formed an alliance to defeat us in return. What would happen when the classes came together? It would be dangerous, like putting carnivores and herbivores together in the same cage. It was almost impossible to organize such a group. If people with strong character like Hirata and Ichinose took the lead, it might work. Even then, it would be absurdly challenging.

Class A didn't participate in the discussion during our second gathering, either. Of course, with one class absent, we couldn't really speak frankly, so we had to kill time. I was interested in how students from the other classes would act, but the instability already had everyone holding their breath. We were all so on guard that it was impossible to be candid.

"Well, this is the second time we've gathered like this. Don't you think we should start having open, honest conversation? We'll only meet so many times," reasoned Ichinose.

Of course, Ichinose had taken the lead and got things moving. As expected, she wished for peace. Hamaguchi and the other Class B students were exactly like that, too. They were ready to make alliances without hesitation. It was like how Hirata operated. They were similar, but still fundamentally different. Ichinose and her friends should have been striving for a Class B victory.

Last time, people were flippant, but now things had changed. The atmosphere was oppressively gloomy. Everyone was jumping at shadows and incredibly wary. However, the three Class A students weren't bothered by anything, freely tapping away on their phones. There wasn't any rule against contacting other groups, after all. They could even talk on the phone.

Well, the old saying was true: the rich are rich, and the poor, poor.

Class A was winning the interclass competition by a landslide, so they had no reason to be worried. I thought their loss during the test on the island would've changed them, but Katsuragi had them maintaining their calm

image. It was an exceptionally effective strategy.

Anyway, it wasn't going to be easy for a lone wolf like me to break down Class A's walls.

"I don't think we need a breakthrough right now, but we do need a discussion. Class A might be breaking away from this test, but I think we need to pinpoint the VIP," said Yukimura.

Yukimura's words helped motivate us somewhat. If the VIP was in another class, we couldn't afford to let this chance slip by. Or perhaps he was the target, and Yukimura was suggesting this as an attempt at camouflage.

"But can we really find the VIP by talking? I just don't think we can.

It's just, like, this test is so unfair. It's too hard. The VIP has way too much of an advantage," said Karuizawa.

"I understand, Karuizawa-san. But doesn't that just depend on your point of view? I mean, the test on the island was also a surprise to the students," said Yukimura.

"Sunrise?" Karuizawa looked puzzled.

"If it's Sunrise, leave it to me! That's my specialty. I'm fired up!" shouted the Professor.

No, I thought. No, they said "surprise," not "Sunrise."

"You know, life on a ship's not bad. It's really fun, right? Even though we have to get together twice a day, we're still free to chat and use our phones. It's not like class," said Ichinose.

"Well, yeah. It is pretty fun," said Karuizawa.

"Right? So, that's why we need to get more comfortable. We need to talk like we're all friends. Don't you think it's hard, putting up walls like that? Machida-kun and the others always look so stern, you know?"

Ichinose had a point. This was all an issue of perception. If you stayed positive, the test would be easier.

Machida, who'd been listening to Ichinose's optimism, let out a snicker. "You're free to do whatever you want, but you probably won't find the VIP. I don't know who the VIP of our group is, but if the VIP doesn't share information, they may be devising a way to gain points for themselves.

They're probably staying hidden on purpose. Besides, the VIP might be in Class B, right? How can you trust these guys?" he asked.

He was trying to shake us all up.

"But couldn't I say the same thing of you, Machida-kun? Can you really trust your allies?" asked Ichinose.

"Of course I can."

Machida looked at the student next to him, named Morishige.

However, he quickly focused again on Ichinose, projecting the usual calm, Class A image.

"We have no reason to fuss over finding the VIP. We have more than 100,000 points deposited into our accounts every month. No one in our class would lie just to get a mere 500,000."

"Really? You know what they say: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Are you trying to tell me that no one in your class would want even one extra point? It's not like the school will be bothered if you get more," replied Ichinose.

"That's stupid. Go ahead and keep being delusional. You're just grasping at straws."

Ichinose smiled at Machida. She'd certainly gotten a response out of him. Even though Machida said he wouldn't participate in the discussion, he'd taken Ichinose's bait. If he started talking, we might pull information out of him. By using Yukimura and Karuizawa, Ichinose had started collecting information. The only problem was, when would Machida notice her ploy?

Karuizawa sighed and went back to fiddling with her phone. While there wasn't any rule prohibiting phone use during the test, doing so while we were trying to find the VIP was a little rude. Or maybe she was like the CIA or FBI, communicating with Hirata in real time so he could listen to our conversation? I'd respect her if that were true, but it probably wasn't the case.

Of course, knowing that Karuizawa didn't usually put serious effort into anything, this wasn't out of character. But something felt off. It felt like something had been off ever since the test started. Karuizawa; the reunion with Ibuki; confronting Manabe.

I realized that none of the things she'd been doing lately seemed like

the "usual" Karuizawa. She was a strong presence in Class D. Whatever her reputation, she and Hirata often brought the class together. But here, she was practically a background character. She had the potential to motivate others, and she wasn't using it. When someone spoke to her, she would answer and then immediately shrink away. Hirata was always Hirata, no matter the situation, and Kushida was always Kushida. However, that didn't seem to be true for Karuizawa.

If I were to create a hierarchy for the group, she'd be below Manabe and the other Class C girls. Maybe that's why she was acting strangely. My doubts and suspicions slowly grew.

For Class D to reach a higher position, we didn't just need to increase our points. We needed to create a system in which we could increase points. In comparison to Classes A and B, Class D lacked cohesion. And for that exact reason, Karuizawa Kei was irreplaceable. She controlled the rest of the Class D girls. That's why I was worried about her behavior. I'd thought she'd be more aggressive and dominate the field.

I needed to determine if she was useful or not. Considering that the test period was rather short, I couldn't afford to take things slow. I needed to stir the pot, even if it meant being forceful.

The Class A students immediately left the room at the hour's end. They were sticking to their class plan and staying quiet for the remaining four discussions. As Ichinose watched the students leave, she gave a heavy sigh.

"Hmm. I suppose this is going to be tough. What do you think, Ayanokouji-kun?"

Ichinose turned to me. She was even calmer, wittier, and clear-headed than I had previously thought. She noticed that I kept quiet during these discussions, but didn't put me on the spot. If I had been her classmate, I would've had a crush on her. She was just that charming. The Class B guys probably weren't alone in falling for her; she had to have admirers from other classes, too. She probably rivaled Kushida in terms of popularity.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm the type to just sit things out. I'm just a bystander," I said.

"It's far too soon to give up. Let's work hard together!" Ichinose seemed determined to do her best.

"Well, even if we keep having these discussions, I don't think anyone will come out and say they're the VIP. The benefits of staying hidden are just too great, same as the downsides for being discovered. At this rate, Class A's worst-case scenario prediction will probably come true," said Ichinose.

Though her comments sounded negative, she looked fearless. Whatever I felt about her, she was clearly always ready for a challenge.

"At any rate, we're done for today. Good work, you two."

"No, we didn't do much of anything. Well, shall we?" said Hamaguchi.

The change was immediate. The three Class B students relaxed, almost as if someone had flipped their switches to OFF. I still didn't really know what the deal with them was. I didn't understand what Ichinose's and her group's aims were yet.

Of course, she might have some kind of strategy that she couldn't tell anyone outside of her group. When Manabe and the others from Class C got up to leave, I trailed after them. Once they reached the elevator, I meekly called out.

"Hey. Do you have a minute?"

Manabe looked slightly on her guard, probably because she hadn't expected me to come after her.

"I heard about your problem with Karuizawa. Something about her pushing someone at the café, right?"

"Yeah. Why do you ask?" snapped Manabe.

These girls wouldn't normally want to chat with me, but that topic seemed to interest them. All three focused on me, like they were checking me out.

"I'm not 100% sure, but I think I saw Karuizawa fight with a girl from another class," I said.

"That's… Are you sure?" asked Manabe. Her voice was stiff, and she drew nearer. I shrunk slightly and nodded.

"I think so. Well, I just kind of got this bad vibe, you know? I felt like she was acting like a jerk, so I thought I'd go ahead and tell you."

I kept it vague to set things in motion, and then turned and went back

the way I came. Honestly, I hadn't actually seen anything. If I'd kept talking, I would have probably been exposed as a liar. Now that the fuse was lit, Manabe and the others would react. How would the newly docile Karuizawa respond? I wanted to find out.

3.5

I headed back to my room. It was late, so I sat down on my bed without talking to anyone. It was getting close to midnight. I'd thought that everyone would be asleep already, but Hirata looked at me anxiously, like he'd been worried. Yukimura sat on the sofa and faced me.

"Good work today, Ayanokouji-kun. You're rather late," said Hirata. "Yeah, a bit. Ah, that reminds me. I wanted to talk to you for a minute,

if you have the time."

"I'm sure you're tired, but if you're up for it, do you mind talking with me?" he asked.

Hirata and I asked each other the same thing at the same time. "Huh? What did you want to ask me?" said Hirata.

"Oh no, that's okay. You go first, Hirata. We can talk about my thing

later."

Yukimura was trembling, like he was on edge. He probably wanted to

talk about the test, too. I changed into my jersey and rejoined them. Hirata moved a bit to give me some space on the sofa. I wanted to talk to Hirata about Sakayanagi, since I figured such a popular guy would likely have information. But I didn't mind waiting.

"I just chatted a bit with Yukimura-kun. We decided to share information about the test," said Hirata.

"I did say that it was pointless to include you, Ayanokouji," added Kouenji. How nice.

"I would've been glad if Kouenji-kun participated, but he unfortunately declined," said Hirata.

Yeah. I couldn't imagine Kouenji teaming up with anyone. "Sorry, Hirata Boy. I'm far too busy with the pursuit of physical

beauty."

Kouenji, naked from the waist up, was doing push-ups. He was soaked with sweat, but didn't seem bothered at all. No ordinary high school student

could pull that off. He really was exceptional in every way. Honestly, I wondered if Kouenji was even participating in this test. Hirata seemed to guess my thoughts.

"Kouenji is participating in a group. After all, students are required to participate, and points are taken away if a student fails to participate," said Hirata.

Trust Hirata to read the rules thoroughly.

"To tell you the truth, I got word that two of our classmates have been selected as the VIPs in their groups," he whispered.

"What? Who?" I asked.

"That's… I can't say. They only told me because they trust me." "So you can't trust us, Hirata? If you know, then I have the right to

know, too. Besides, if you know who a VIP is, that might give us some kind of hint. We should all be sharing information with each other in the first place. It's only natural, after all," said Yukimura.

"Yes, you're right. That's why I wanted to consult with you. It's just that—" Hirata started.

"Hey, Hirata. Wouldn't it be better to give us that information by phone? We don't know who's listening in on our conversations," I said.

"Yeah, you're right. Wait just a moment."

Two names showed up on Hirata's phone. He turned the screen to us. "Dragon Group, Kushida-san. Horse Group, Minami-kun." Immediately after I saw the names, Hirata erased them.

"I see," murmured Yukimura. He was careful not to say too much.

So Kushida was the VIP. Having that position in the extremely well- stacked Dragon group meant they had an enormous advantage. However, being the VIP was terrifying. Once they knew her identity, she was at their mercy. If the VIP had been from another class, we wouldn't have taken the brunt of the damage even in the worst-case scenario.

"Don't worry. Everything is all right," said Hirata.

He'd noticed I was worried. The three Class D people in the Dragon

group were the best we had to offer. They'd never be careless enough to reveal the VIP's identity.

"Speaking of Rabbit Group, it's equally possible for the VIP to be from any of the four classes. So in Class D, there are two VIPs that we know about. There should be one more VIP keeping his or her identity secret," said Yukimura.

"Yeah. I think your logic follows. They certainly haven't talked to me about it, but they might've consulted someone else. After all, there's a high risk of being discovered if you talk," Hirata said.

While we talked amongst ourselves, Kouenji started humming.

Yukimura, who'd been patient up until that point, bolted out of his chair in frustration.

"Kouenji, stop the happy-go-lucky act already! I'm not going to tell you to take things seriously, but you need to at least participate. We don't want you to screw everything up like you did back on the island," he shouted.

"Well, I couldn't exactly help it. I was in awful shape. I couldn't force myself to do the impossible," answered Kouenji.

"You just faked being ill to get out of it!"

"My, this test will be nothing but troublesome, wouldn't you say?" Kouenji sniffed.

He continued his push-ups, then stood gracefully. He grabbed the towel from his bed and started wiping his neck.

"Troublesome? You're not even thinking about this test at all!" countered Yukimura.

"Well, there isn't any point to continuing a test that isn't interesting, is there? Finding a liar is simple."

Kouenji, phone in hand, started to fiddle around. Soon after, all four of us, including Kouenji, received a notification from the school on our phones.

"What did you just do, Kouenji?!" shouted Yukimura.

Hirata and I read over the email we'd just received from the school.

"The test has now ended for the Monkey group. Those in the Monkey group are no longer required to participate any further. Please do not disturb

the other students."

"Monkey Group? Hey, that's your group, Kouenji!" shouted Yukimura.

"Of course. And now, I finally have my freedom once again. Adieu."

He tossed his phone aside before slipping into the bathroom. The rest of us were simply dumbstruck.

"Y-you've got to be kidding me! We're desperately trying to think of a way out of this, and that guy, he just…"

"We still don't know anything yet. He probably had his own ideas," replied Hirata.

"You're being way too generous! That guy will screw anyone over, so long as he's able to enjoy himself and take it easy. This sucks!" shouted Yukimura.

Well, Kouenji didn't take the test seriously at all. That was true.

However, he was remarkably perceptive and observant. He had boldly stated that the test was nothing more than a "simple quiz" to find the liar. If that were true, he'd probably hit the mark.

Kouenji's sudden actions soon became known to the rest of the students. Hirata's phone started to beep continuously as new notifications poured in. Classmates were desperate to know what'd happened. Katsuragi, Ryuuen, and Ichinose would all be surprised by this. Probably no one had imagined that someone would turn traitor so soon. Horikita messaged me:

I'm sorry. Things seem really confusing right now. I'm going to give you a call.

"Damn it. Thanks to Kouenji, things have escalated," said Yukimura. "I'm stepping out for a bit," I said.

Yukimura seemed like he was so irritated he wouldn't be able to sleep.

I stepped out of the room. Even though the test had ended for Kouenji, I couldn't dwell on that. To be honest, I was seeing my own limitations in this test. No matter how much I schemed, it would be extremely tough to lead the Class D students from all the remaining groups to victory. You could even say it was impossible.

If the students came together, we could do something. Otherwise, we were beyond help. We had no connection. You couldn't interfere with another group's answers using your own phone. There wasn't enough time to find another method, and the risk was high. If I had some information that could decisively turn everything around, that would be another matter. The ringleaders were Hirata and Kushida. If I could use them…

"It's impossible," I muttered. There were three days left. Even if I did manage to gain their cooperation, I still didn't have enough eyes and ears. I needed to understand what was going on in each group's discussions. Of course, I might still be able to use Horikita and Sakura, but…

Well. Right now, I needed to get more eyes and ears on my side.

3.6

The starry skies stretched out before me as far as the eye could see. I wandered around, and stumbled onto the deck.

"Wow, that's amazing."

The view was more beautiful than anything I had seen in a movie or envisioned in a book. It was the kind of sky you couldn't see in a large city. There were a few couples holding hands, looking up to the stars shoulder-to- shoulder. I felt a little lonely. Because there was almost no light, I couldn't make out their faces, but I didn't particularly care. I wasn't interested in other people's romances.

But amongst all the couples, there was one student looking up at the starry skies alone. A girl, judging by the silhouette.

I couldn't just walk up and say something like, "Why don't we look at the stars together?" I'd probably come off sounding like one of those sleazy pick-up artists. Besides, if a boyfriend came along and joined her in the middle of me making a move, it would be bad. But part of me was interested in discovering her identity. I tried getting a little closer.

The girl turned toward me. "Huh? Oh, Ayanokouji…kun?" "That voice… Kushida?"

Kushida stepped out of the shadows. She looked at me with an expression of shock.

"Are you…alone?" I asked. Perhaps she was waiting to meet her boyfriend. Just imagining that made my chest tighten and ache.

"Yeah, I am. I just couldn't seem to sleep." "I-I see," I answered.

Well, now I knew she wasn't on a starlit date. In that case, I figured she

wouldn't mind, so I got closer. Kushida wore a jersey. She must have just gotten out of the bath, because she smelled nice. It should have been the scent from the complimentary shampoos in our rooms, but it wasn't. How

mysterious.

"Aren't you cold?" I asked.

"I'm fine. What about you, Ayanokouji-kun? Are you all alone?" I nodded. When I did so, Kushida laughed happily.

"So we're both alone? I admit, I felt a little ashamed being alone. This makes me feel better."

"…"

I should've spouted off a witty one-liner. But I couldn't. Besides, being alone with Kushida in a place with a ton of couples spiked my heart rate.

Deep down, though, Kushida must've been thinking how much she hated this.

"Well, I'm gonna head on back," I said. "You're already leaving?"

"I'm getting tired." That was a total lie. I didn't want to sleep in the slightest.

"I see. Well, I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, Ayanokouji-kun." "Good night, Kushida."

I turned around and began to make a pathetic retreat. "Wait!"

Unexpectedly, Kushida wrapped her arms around my chest. Even in this cold, I felt the warmth of her body through her jersey.

"K-K-Ku…Kushida? Wh-what's the matter?" I squeaked.

Of course, I was completely flustered. It was only natural that I'd panic. I couldn't understand what was happening.

"…"

But Kushida didn't answer right away. She finally responded in a small

voice.

"I'm sorry. I…I just felt so lonely, I think," she whispered. Her words

hit me hard, like a fighter smacking me right in the jaw. I felt dizzy. Kushida buried her face in my chest for a few seconds longer, without saying a word.

Then she pulled away, flustered, as if breaking from a spell

"S-sorry. I, um…I just hugged you so suddenly, Ayanokouji-kun.

Good night!" she stammered.

I couldn't make out Kushida's face too well in the dark, but she might have been blushing slightly. Kushida quickly scurried away before I could speak. I stood there, hand on my chest, feeling the warmth that remained. I already couldn't sleep, and after all that, I couldn't just return to my room. I decided to wander around the boat before heading back.

"Now that I've calmed down, I'm feeling thirsty."

There should've been a few vending machines on the first level, so I decided to head there. But as I approached, I found an odd three-person group: Chabashira-sensei; the Class B homeroom teacher, Hoshinomiya- sensei; and Mashima-sensei from Class A.

The teachers were relaxing on the sofa. The area wasn't technically off limits to students, but since things like izakaya and bars weren't open to us, no one came around. I'd taken this route just for a change of scene, but had stumbled onto an opportunity. I hid myself and drew nearer.

"You know, it's been a long time since the three of us all got together." "It is what it is. Fate. After bouncing around from one thing to the next,

we all chose the teacher's life."

"Enough. There's no point talking about that."

"Ah, that reminds me. You were on a date the other day, weren't you? You've got a new girlfriend, huh? Mashima-kun, you're quite the playboy. And here I'd thought you were the quiet, unsociable type."

"Chie, what happened to the man you were with?"

"Ah ha ha! We broke up two weeks ago. I'm the type of girl who breaks it off once the relationship starts getting serious. It's just like, see ya later!" Hoshinomiya-sensei said.

"That's what you'd usually hear from the guy."

"Ah, but I'd never do that to you, Mashima-kun. You're my best friend, after all. I'd hate to ruin our friendship."

"Relax. I'm not worried about that." "What a shocker."

Hoshinomiya-sensei poured whiskey into an empty glass. She downed it in one gulp. Must've been a drinker. On the other hand, Chabashira-sensei sipped her drink like a cocktail.

"What are you planning, Chie?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? What'd I do?"

"It's customary to place all of the class representatives into the Dragon group, isn't it?"

"I'm not screwing around or anything. It's certainly true that as far as grades and attitude are concerned, Ichinose-san is number one. However, someone's true place in society cannot be measured by numbers alone. I determined that she needed a challenge. And besides, rabbits are just so cute, aren't they? The way they hop around. Doesn't that suit Ichinose-san?" Hoshinomiya-sensei asked.

"I hope you're right."

"I think what you're saying makes sense, Hoshinomiya, but what are you getting at?"

"We wouldn't want you to base your judgment on personal grudges." "Oh, are you still talking about what happened ten years ago? I thought

that was all water under the bridge."

"I wonder. I mean, you can't seem to stop yourself from running your mouth. You're not satisfied unless you're one move ahead. That's why you put Ichinose in the Rabbit group, isn't it?"

"I genuinely thought that Ichinose needed to learn a lesson, so I removed her from the Dragon group. You know? By the way, Sae-chan, I couldn't help but notice you've been focusing on Ayanokouji-kun. Anyway, it's just a coincidence. Coincidence, coincidence. When the island test ended and Ayanokouji-kun became a kind of leader, you weren't surprised at all, were you?"

"I see." Mashima-sensei nodded as though convinced of something. However, he then strictly addressed Hoshinomiya-sensei. "There's no rule against this, but I want to be clear. Stop spying on other colleagues' classes."

"Agh, it's like you don't trust me at all. Well, I'm not the only one to blame. Sakagami-sensei is part of the problem, too. If we evaluated the Class

C students properly, another student should've been placed into Dragon. But they threw Ryuuen in there."

"That's certainly true. This isn't your average year. The students seem rather special."

With this newfound information, it was about time for me to head back.

If I stayed any longer, I might be seen. Just knowing that Ichinose had been sent to spy on me was enough for this little reconnaissance. Apparently I was under heavy scrutiny.

.